THE MOUNTAINEER

The legendary Filipino time
EDISON L. BADDAL

If there’s one thing that Filipino image is being given a black eye the world over,
aside from perennial issues on corruption, crowded slums and abject poverty, it is the concept of Filipino time.

This concept is so distinctly Filipino which other nationalities find infuriating and disorienting. While there is no definitive or unambiguous definition to the term, one feature which generally characterizes it is not being punctual or right on time.

This can be observed in meetings, conferences, seminars or any social gathering. In the latter, participants usually arrive later than the set time for the activity to commence as there are very few participants present. Hence, most gatherings, be it on the local or national scene, usually starts late.

Not only in gatherings does this occur. It could also be observed from late entry of workers to their workplace or employees in their offices. Most oftentimes, this is borne out by the latter’s failure to catch up with the early ride due to late departure from their abode.

Surprisingly, many Filipinos are early risers but taking things easy without urgency is among the culprit for late arrival for work or appointment. Relevant to the above is the second aspect of the Filipino time which is the imprudent use of time.

Sometimes known to be lacking in focus, exacerbated by many distractions, Filipinos are often prevented from having the urgency to attend to things. Meanwhile, caught unawares on the unalterable flow of time due to multifarious distractions renders them late for a scheduled activity.

Too much prattle also prevents the accomplishment of things which are immediately required. Senseless talk, which is a natural adjunct of Filipino social relations as a manifestation of camaraderie and neighborliness, is also another natural culprit for unproductivity of employees in their respective jobs.

Taking things easy while there is still time is a bane as the upshot is minimum productivity and not up to par in terms of effectivity and efficiency. As defined by social scientists, efficiency is that state wherein the desired goals of an organization and the desired quality of a product is achieved on time with the maximum utilization of resources.

Effectivity, on the other hand, is likewise defined as that state wherein the desired goals have been attained on time or even ahead of time with the least utilization of resources but the desired quality is not compromised. Although the two terms are being used interchangeably, effectiveness is higher in degree of intensity in as much as it generates savings in terms
of resources,i.e. money, materials and other palpable inputs.

In a way, effectivity conforms more to that adage: “Working hard and smartly at the same time.” Efficient work hews more to hard work though suffers a little in terms of slickness.
Anyway, either something has been done efficiently or effectively is totally immaterial as both has been attained with the wise use of resources and prudent management of time.

Owing then to the distorted Filipino sense of time, Filipinos seem to go through life in a relatively slow,and frolicsome, pace. Quite unthinkable but true, we seem to work and live in a relaxed manner being aware that there is always the morrow to look forward to.And God willing, we have the natural tendency to look forward to a chance to continue whatever we failed
to finish today. This could be related to the “Mamaya na or Manyana na” habit which was unfortunately cultivated during the scabrous Spanish occupation as Filipinos were reduced to piteous vassals.

Although working and moving in a relaxed manner may be salutary in terms of health, it does not measure well in terms of output or productivity.

According to one fellow coffee junkie, Filipinos seem to have no sense of time and also professed that we are not output-oriented as a result.

It is thus that government agencies are not that productive and efficiently run due to the typical sense of employees of the lack of urgency of time. Though some government controlled companies like the GSIS, SSS and NAPOCOR are efficiently run and are productive due to no-nonsense management, some aren’t so like most government instrumentalities.

In contrast, private companies, like those owned by Chinese, foreign nationals and local taipans such as the Ayalas, Aranetas and Tantocos, are sticklers to time that’s why they continuously rake handsome profits. Much as they regard time in terms of profit, they likewise employ effective strategies to maximize the use of time, resources and efforts. Synchronous with that is the sustained lookout for opportunities for expansion of operations.

Nevertheless, such value on the wise use of time and deft business management strategies made these private companies quite spanking in the expanse of their operations. And while aggressively indulging on opportunities in several business ventures what with oodles of cash at their disposal, they lord it over the business climate of the country to the detriment of Filipinos. They slickly took advantage of the Filipinos’ leisurely attitude towards time which they obviously took advantage for their own selfish advancement.

Thing is, Asian entrepreneurs who relocate to the country usually bring with them their values, especially towards time. The rush syndrome which characterizes Asian economic giants wherein it is not typical for working people to rush to their workplaces to beat the clock is somehow exhibited here. At present, droves of South Koreans are following the Chinese in invading the country for their business acumen.

They are making their presence felt virtually everywhere in the archipelago. Latest statistics show that Korean migrants, relocatees and naturalized residents now numbered as many as more than 92,000. South Korean entrepreneurs are as adroit and lnyx-eyed like the Chinese and Japanese.

Consequently, the lack of aggressiveness of Filipino investors allowed these pseudo-Filipinos to snarf up every available business venture in which the only entrepreneurship left for Filipinos is politics, construction of public works as a result of patronage and small scale or medium-scale entrepreneurial buy and sell business. What the Chinese and foreign nationals could not legally touch, they are the only chances for fortune given to Filipinos.

There’s an observation, though, that at present some enlightened Filipino businessmen
are trying to give their Chinese and foreign counterparts a run for their money. To a great extent, this is an exciting development as Filipinos should hold the upper hand when it comes to
business management as well as the size of the business venture. Although it is already too late the hero for them at least they have began waking up from their stupor.

Meanwhile, I firmly believes that operations of government agencies, including the Local Government Units,could be vastly improved if strict adherence to time as a strategic tool to enhance efficiency and effectivity is adopted. Presently, it is not unusual for government projects to be unusually delayed despite a planned period for its implementation.

The glaring example is the Halsema Road rehabilitation,Phase II, which if I remember right, should have been finished during the last semester of the current year. Unfortunately, unexpected hassles, not to mention a measure of unwise utilization of time, got in the way of its programmed finish. Right now, the rehabilitation is proceeding at a snail’s pace due to many controversies that
contractors are dragged into.

The termination of the project for the oncoming year seemed improbable although if the contractors will maximize the rainless, summer months, the rehabilitation project will yet materialize as scheduled.

Although government bureaucracies are service-oriented, more productive and worthwhile service to the public would surely ensue if employees and bureaucrats are more punctual and prudent in the use of time. Punctuality enhances effectivity and efficiency in service and inexorably results into improved delivery of basic services likewise will have a ripple effect in terms of winning the
war against poverty. Most oftentimes, unwise use of time usually compromises efficiency in public work projects and eventually stultifies them.

The call of the hour is to overturn the concept of the Filipino Time from lack of punctuality and imprudent use thereof to always on time. The concept is manifested and successfully practiced since the end of the second world war by the Asian Economic Giants like Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
and Hongkong. The latter countries, which are considered economic miracles in their own right,
are possessed of societies whose people value time like gold, that is, in terms of money.

Time for them is considered in terms of profits earned or lost. They really practice the adage that time is gold so that they were able to transform their countries from backwardness to
prosperity and the toast of the western world. May be this country can do as well if time is likewise valued like gold.